


Painfully Perfect

by HelloThere3306



Category: DuckTales (Cartoon 2017)
Genre: Gen, Huey Duck Needs a Hug, Huey Duck-centric, Louie Duck Needs a Hug, Older Sibling Huey Duck
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-09
Updated: 2021-03-09
Packaged: 2021-03-15 11:08:21
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,201
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29932509
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HelloThere3306/pseuds/HelloThere3306
Summary: Huey wants to be perfect, so he throws himself into danger to prove himself. This does not make his brothers happy.
Relationships: Dewey Duck & Huey Duck & Louie Duck
Kudos: 39





	Painfully Perfect

**Author's Note:**

> I wrote this in an hour, so...

When Huey lived on the houseboat with their clumsy uncle and his two troublemaking brothers, it was easy to be the best. But when they moved into a mansion with their rich uncle who was actually Scrooge McDuck, and amazing thing after amazing thing graced their lives...it got a bit harder.

How could  _ anyone  _ live up to his family? His moonwalking mother, immortal great uncle and assorted other magical or otherwise individuals?

It was getting harder and harder to be perfect, Huey found; therefore, he'd devised a plan to prove his worth to everyone. The next adventure they went on, Huey would defeat whatever evil creature or obstacle proved to be guarding the forbidden treasure on the other side. And he would do it  _ alone.  _

_ Without  _ the guidebook.

He couldn't always rely on the book.

His plan had backfired pretty quickly. Turns out, a hoard of tiny dragon lizards wasn't the greatest enemy to fight on his own.

Huey reflects on this as he hears the group catch up to him. He had rounded up each of the lizards painstakingly, twining their fire-breathing mouths shut with the fishing line he'd brought. He hadn't wanted to kill them, dragons were going extinct and it would be against every guidebook rule ever to kill these little cousins of them, but this had posed a problem after the third burn to his hands and arms. 

He can't let anyone see the burns.

Huey quickly rights himself and wraps his hands in gauze - pulled from under his hat, which had also provided him the fishing line. It would just seem like he'd wrapped his arms for support, to the latecomers. He positions himself in a triumphant pose, hands resting lightly against his hips despite the chafing of his burnt fingers. 

As the group approaches, Webby squeals delightedly. "Did you find fire breathing lizard geckos? They're legendary! How did you avoid the fire?"

Huey chuckles nervously. "Uh, dodging?"

Louie narrows his eyes and nudges Dewey conspiratorially, whispering something under his breath, but nothing comes up afterwards so Huey figures their suspicion hasn't prevailed. 

The ride back to the manor on the  _ Cloudslayer  _ is uncomfortable, to say the least. Now that the adrenaline is gone, Huey's burns are beginning to hurt  _ so  _ much more than they had in the caves. But Della is talking loudly while she pilots, so no one is paying attention to the pained faces he pulls as the seatbelts chafe against his arm.

He helps the group carry in the (by their point of view) easily acquired treasure despite the aching he feels in his back and shoulders, and smiles through a long celebratory dinner. It serves to distract him well enough, as he's sucked into a riveting conversation with Webby about the merits of introducing the fire lizards into society as pets, or breeding them to bring them back from endangerment. 

Dinner ends, and just as he's about to leave, Scrooge puts a hand on his shoulder. "Well done out there, laddie."

Huey beams. 

Perfect.

~ ~ ~

Later, as Huey wraps his wounds more efficiently in the dead of night, each pinch of burnt skin serves to remind him that he’s  _ finally  _ on his way to perfection.

~ ~ ~

The adventures that follow are equally as painful for Huey, who decides that injuries are a good tribute for the words of praise he receives at the end of each quest.

His mother's words, specifically, motivate his own quest for perfection. He may not be Jet, but maybe if he tries he can come close.

It's after the fourth adventure, one that leaves Huey hiding a limp from a particularly nasty snake bite - not poisonous, Huey checked first thing - that Louie and Dewey approach him in their bedroom. It was unavoidable, Huey realizes. One of them had probably noticed him escaping at night for first aid.

"What's going on here?" Louie asks.

Huey shakes his head, feigning confusion and hiding his leg behind the other inconspicuously. Louie notices anyways, narrowing his eyes.

Dewey puts a hand on Huey's shoulder. "I'm the reckless one, man, you always have a plan! But you've been rushing into things, it's weird."

"It's scaring me," Louie adds, muttering.

Huey's stomach sinks. "No. No, you don't have to - ugh, I messed up!"

Dewey stumbles back quickly as Huey's hands come up to grasp at his hat, knocking his brother's hands off his shoulders. "What do you mean," Dewey asks, voice quiet. He's not used to this, Huey doesn't freak out like this, what does he do?

"You're not supposed to worry about me, I'm supposed to-' Huey cuts off, gasping a breath. He'd forgotten to breathe before speaking. How is he so useless that he can't even  _ breathe  _ right? "I'm supposed to be so perfect that you don't have to worry!"

Louie opens his mouth to say something, but Huey cuts him off, almost maniacally. "Don't worry! I'll do better, I'll  _ be  _ better, just give me a day to heal-"

" _ Heal? _ " Dewey bursts, incredulous. He hadn't noticed the injuries.

Huey shakes his head, misinterpreting Dewey’s concern for chagrin. "Nevermind, I don’t have to heal, we can go on another adventure now! I have Isabella Finch's journal, if we leave now, we can-"

Huey's rambles are finally cut off as Louie launches himself on top of Huey, pinning him to the ground. "Calm down," he mumbles, holding Huey's wrists so he can't push him off.

"What are you doing," whispers Dewey, but Huey can hear.

"I saw Ms. Beakley do it to mom when she got into one of her episodes - the ones where she thinks about the moon and then gazes off. It's grounding, she said."

"I'm not like that," Huey screeches, and Louie flinches at the sudden loud noise but stays put. "I'm not freaking out, I'm the oldest, I don't freak out!"

Louie lifts his head to lay against Huey's chest. It reminds Huey of when he'd hug Louie to chase away the nightmares when they were little, and suddenly Huey can't stop crying. He sobs, and the snake bite aches, but he focuses on Louie’s words.

"You don't have to be perfect. We’re a team, remember? I see the angles, you make the plans, and then Dewey enacts them. You're our planner, and our big brother. That's all we need you to be."

Huey closes his eyes, an onslaught of repressed emotion making him feel anxious and sad and helpless all at once. Louie's hands go slack against his wrists, and Huey reaches around to hug his younger brother, ejecting a hand out towards Dewey as an invitation - a plea. He needs both his brothers. Dewey joins the hug effortlessly, and the three of them fit together nicely. Huey loves his family, but sometimes he doesn't want to be a nephew or a son. He just wants to be a brother.

Dewey leans back enough to look Huey in his puffy eyes. "Better?"

Huey nods, wiping his face.

Louie nods. "I hear you, but now we've gotta talk about your injuries."

Huey nods.

Louie grabs his shoulders. "Never again! I don't ever want to see you throw yourself into danger again! PROMISE ME!"

Huey huffs a laugh. 

"I promise."


End file.
